Pressure cooker
By positioning the biasing member on the operating lever side and using a support member, the pressure cooker addresses the issue of locking member deformation, ensuring robust and reliable lid operation under pressure.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TIGER CORP
- Filing Date
- 2022-08-03
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-01
Smart Images
Figure 0007883120000001 
Figure 0007883120000002 
Figure 0007883120000003
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a pressure cooker.
Background Art
[0002] In the past, there has been proposed "a container body provided with a lid for opening and closing a storage part, a hook member pivotally supported rotatably on one of the lid and the container body, an operation button pivotally supported swingably on the one, and an elastic expansion and contraction part provided between the hook member and the operation button, the storage part being a space that can rise to a predetermined internal pressure exceeding atmospheric pressure when used with the lid closed, the hook member being provided rotatably between a lock position where it hangs on the other of the lid and the container body to keep the lid in a closed state and a lock release position where it cannot hang on the other, when the operation button is pushed in a state below the predetermined internal pressure, the pushing force is transmitted to the hook member through the elastic expansion and contraction part, so that the elastic expansion and contraction part is given a lock release rotational torque without reaching the compression limit, when the operation button is pushed in a state above the predetermined internal pressure, the rotational resistance due to friction between the hook member and other parts increases with the rise in the predetermined internal pressure, so that the lock release rotation of the hook member does not occur, and the elastic expansion and contraction part receiving the operation button is compressed more than the compression amount in a state below the predetermined internal pressure in a container with a lid, when the operation button is pushed in a state above the predetermined internal pressure, at a time point after the elastic expansion and contraction part is compressed more than the compression amount in a state below the predetermined internal pressure and within a period when the hook member is in the lock position, contact occurs between the operation button and the hook member, and at the contact part, the hook member is pushed by the operation button, so that a moment in the lock rotation direction occurs in the hook member, and the moment in the lock rotation direction occurs more than the moment in the lock release rotation direction caused by the hook member being pushed through the elastic expansion and contraction part. A container with a lid characterized by this." (For example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-005218, etc.).
Prior Art Documents
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-005218 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]
[0004] Incidentally, in the pressure cooker described above, a reinforcing member is attached to the lid to withstand the pressure during pressure cooking, and a locking member (hook member) is attached to the reinforcing member. Therefore, if a large load is placed on the reinforcing member during pressure cooking, a large load will also be placed on the locking member. Consequently, it is desirable to improve the strength of the locking member as much as possible so that it does not deform during pressure cooking. However, in the pressure cooker described above, a mounting hole for a retaining member that holds the biasing member is formed in the locking member, and the biasing member is held on the locking member side. As a result, the strength of the locking member may be reduced compared to a locking member that does not have a mounting hole for the retaining member. Furthermore, if a load is repeatedly placed on the locking member by pressure cooking, the locking member may gradually deform, which may cause problems in opening and closing the lid.
[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a pressure cooker that can prevent deformation of the locking member during pressure cooking as much as possible and reduce the risk of malfunctions in opening and closing the lid as much as possible. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] The pressure cooker according to the present invention is A main body having a locking portion, A lid that covers the aforementioned main body in an openable and closable manner, A pressure adjustment unit that can adjust the pressure inside the main body when the lid is closed, An operating lever that rotates around an axis attached to the lid, A locking member disposed on the lid has a locking portion that can be locked to the locking portion and a pressing portion, The system comprises a biasing member positioned between the operating lever and the pressed portion, The biasing member is held on the operating lever side, When the cover is closed and the pressure adjustment unit is not adjusting the pressure inside the main body, pressing the operating lever releases the locking portion from being locked to the locked portion. Even when the operating lever is pressed while the pressure adjustment unit is adjusting the pressure inside the main body to be higher than atmospheric pressure, the locking part remains locked to the locked part.
[0007] According to the above configuration, the biasing member is held on the operating lever side rather than the locking member side. Therefore, in this pressure cooker, there is no need to form a mounting hole for the retaining member that holds the biasing member in the locking member, and the strength of the locking member can be improved as much as possible compared to a locking member in which a mounting hole for the retaining member is formed. Consequently, in this pressure cooker, deformation of the locking member during pressure cooking can be prevented as much as possible, and the risk of malfunction in opening and closing the lid can be reduced as much as possible.
[0008] In this pressure cooker, when the operating lever is pressed, the biasing member is also pressed via the operating lever. The pressed part is then pressed by the biasing member, and an action is taken to release the locking part from being locked to the locked part. The biasing force of the biasing member is designed to be stronger than the locking force of the locking part against the locked part when the lid is closed and the pressure inside the main body is not adjusted (hereinafter referred to as "non-pressurized"), and weaker than the locking force of the locking part against the locked part when the pressure inside the main body is adjusted to be higher than atmospheric pressure (hereinafter referred to as "pressurized"). This is because, under pressure, a force acts to push the lid outward, pressing the locking part against the locked part, and the biasing force of the biasing member itself remains unchanged. When the operating lever is pressed while the device is not pressurized, the biasing member continues to press against the pressed part without being compressed or only slightly compressed, and eventually the locking part is released from its locking position against the locked part. On the other hand, when the operating lever is pressed while the device is pressurized, the biasing member is compressed, and eventually the operating lever reaches its rotation limit due to the press before the biasing member reaches its compression limit, and the locking part remains locked against the locked part.
[0009] In this invention, A support member is further provided, which is positioned between the biasing member and the locking member. Preferably, the biasing member presses the pressed portion via the support member when the operating lever is pressed.
[0010] With the above configuration, the part to be pressed can be pressed more stably compared to the case where no support member is provided.
[0011] In this invention, The aforementioned operating lever is made of resin, The support member preferably has a biasing member mounting portion for holding the biasing member.
[0012] According to the above configuration, the biasing member can be held more stably on the operating lever side.
[0013] In the present invention, it is preferable that the support member is movably fitted to the operation lever.
[0014] According to the above configuration, after allowing the biasing member to be in a compressed state or a non-compressed state, the biasing member can be more stably held on the operation lever side.
[0015] In the present invention, it is preferable that the lid body has a guiding portion for guiding the operation lever.
[0016] According to the above configuration, it is possible to make the position of the operation lever change as little as possible between the state before the operation lever rotates and the state after the operation lever rotates in one direction and then rotates in the opposite direction of the one direction.
[0017] In the present invention, it is preferable that an opening is formed in a portion of the operation lever on the opposite side of the shaft side.
[0018] According to the above configuration, residues on the operation lever (for example, liquids such as water, food ingredients such as rice, etc.) can be discharged to the lower side of the operation lever through the opening, so that as little residue as possible remains on the operation lever.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0019] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, a state where the lid body is closed is shown. [Figure 2] It is a longitudinal sectional view of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention cut along the front-rear direction so as to pass through the center in the left-right direction. [Figure 3] It is an exploded perspective view of an operation mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a plan view of an operation mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of BB. [Figure 7] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of CC. [Figure 8] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the DD. [Figure 9] This is a downward perspective view of the upper exterior body and operating mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is an enlarged view of the enclosed area A in Figure 9. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view of a locking member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] This is an enlarged view of the area around the operating mechanism and locking member in a vertical cross-sectional view of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention, cut along the front-to-back direction passing through the center in the left-to-right direction. Note that this figure shows the operating lever of the operating mechanism pressed when pressure cooking is not being performed. [Figure 13] This is an enlarged view of the area around the operating mechanism and locking member in a vertical cross-sectional view of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention, cut along the front-to-back direction passing through the center in the left-to-right direction. In this figure, the operating lever of the operating mechanism is shown in a pressed state when pressure cooking is in progress. [Figure 14] This is a perspective view of a lever stopper according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0020] <Structure of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention> The rice cooker 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is an induction heating type pressure rice cooker, and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, mainly consists of a main body 110, an inner pot 130, a lid 140, and a hinge mechanism 150. These components will be described in detail below.
[0021] 1. Main unit As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the main unit 110 mainly consists of a housing 111, thermal insulation material (not shown), induction heating coil 113, heat retention heater HT, ferrite core assembly (not shown), thermistor 114, blower fan 115, heat sink 116, operation panel 117, control board 118, microcontroller board 119, automatic retractable power cord unit 120, and locking parts (not shown). These components will be described in detail below.
[0022] (1) Enclosure As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the housing 111 mainly consists of a torso 111a, shoulder members 111c, protective frame 111d, microcontroller board support member 111e, and control board support member 111f. The following describes the components of these components in detail. The housing 111 also houses an insulating material (not shown), an induction heating coil 113, a ferrite core assembly, a thermistor 114, a blower fan 115, a heat sink 116, a control board 118, a microcontroller board 119, and an automatic retractable power cord unit 120.
[0023] (1-1) Torso The body 111a is formed from a side wall Aa and a bottom wall Ab, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The side wall Aa is an enclosure wall that is substantially rectangular in shape in plan view and covers the side of the main body 110, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. A claw receiving portion (not shown) is formed at the front upper end of the side wall Aa. The microcontroller board support member 111e is locked to the body 111a by this claw receiving portion and the claw portion of the microcontroller board support member 111e. In the rice cooker 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the shoulder member 111c is not locked to the body 111a. The bottom wall Ab is a substantially rectangular plate member that extends inward from the lower end of the side wall Aa, as shown in Figure 2, and covers the lower opening of the side wall Aa. The control board support member 111f and the inner pot housing portion Da of the protective frame 111d are fastened to the bottom wall Ab. Furthermore, the bottom wall Ab has an air intake port Ab1 (see Figure 2) for drawing in outside air from the housing 111, and an exhaust port (not shown) for discharging air from inside the housing 111 to the outside. As shown in Figure 2, a blower fan 115 is positioned directly above the air intake port Ab1. When this blower fan 115 is driven, outside air is drawn into the housing 111 through the air intake port Ab1, and the resulting airflow causes the heated air inside to be discharged from the system through the exhaust port.
[0024] (1-2) Shoulder member As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the shoulder member 111c is positioned on the upper side of the body 111a, and a portion of it is visible from the outside even when the lid 140 is closed. An operation panel 117 is positioned on the upper front side of the shoulder member 111c (see Figures 1 and 2), and the flange portion Db of the protective frame 111d is attached to the lower surface of the shoulder member 111c (see Figure 2). An opening is formed in the shoulder member 111c to serve as the insertion point for the inner pot 130.
[0025] (1-3) Protective frame The protective frame 111d is a component that protects the outer circumference of the inner pot 130 and maintains the shape of the shoulder member 111c, and as shown in Figure 2, it mainly consists of an inner pot housing portion Da and a flange portion Db.
[0026] The inner pot housing portion Da is a bowl-shaped part that covers the outer circumference of the inner pot 130 (see Figure 2). As shown in Figure 2, a flange portion Db is positioned above the inner pot housing portion Da, and the inner pot housing portion Da and the flange portion Db are connected to each other. Also, as described above, the inner pot housing portion Da is fastened to the bottom wall Ab of the body 111a. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, an opening is formed in the center of the bottom wall of the inner pot housing portion Da for passing the thermistor 114 through.
[0027] The flange portion Db is formed from an engineering plastic such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) and, as described above, is attached to the lower surface of the shoulder member 111c. Engineering plastics have higher rigidity and superior heat resistance compared to general-purpose resins, and are therefore less susceptible to thermal deformation. An opening is formed in the flange portion Db to serve as the insertion port for the inner pot 130.
[0028] (1-4) Microcontroller board support member The microcontroller board support member 111e is made of a general-purpose resin such as polypropylene (PP) and is responsible for supporting the microcontroller board 119. The microcontroller board support member 111e is positioned inside the shoulder member 111c and below the operation panel 117 (see Figure 2) and is fixed to the shoulder member 111c. The microcontroller board support member 111e has claws formed on it, and as described above, the microcontroller board support member 111e is locked to the body 111a by these claws and the claw receiving portion on the side wall Aa of the body 111a.
[0029] (1-5) Control board support member The control board support member 111f is made of a general-purpose resin such as polypropylene (PP) and is responsible for supporting the control board 118. The control board support member 111f is positioned inside the body 111a (more specifically, between the body 111a and the inner pot housing Da of the protective frame 111d) (see Figure 2) and is fastened to the bottom wall Ab of the body 111a.
[0030] (2) Insulation The insulating material is wrapped around the side walls of the inner pot housing Da of the protective frame 111d and the outer circumference of the heat retention heater HT, and plays a role in suppressing the outflow of heat generated from the inner pot 130 to the outside of the inner pot housing Da during rice cooking.
[0031] (3) Induction heating coil The induction heating coil 113 is an induction heating source for induction heating the inner pot 130, and is located outside the bottom wall and the lower end of the side wall of the inner pot housing Da of the protective frame 111d, as shown in Figure 2.
[0032] (4) Heating heater The heat retention heater HT is an annular heater used during heat retention operation, and as shown in Figure 2, it is positioned on the outside of the vertically intermediate portion of the side wall of the inner pot housing Da of the protective frame 111d.
[0033] (5) Ferrite core assembly The ferrite core assembly is arranged around the induction heating coil 113. The ferrite core assembly contains a ferrite core, which plays a role in suppressing the leakage of electromagnetic waves generated from the induction heating coil 113 to the outside when power is applied.
[0034] (6) Thermistor The thermistor 114 is a temperature sensor and, as shown in Figure 2, protrudes upward through an opening formed in the center of the bottom wall of the inner pot housing Da of the protective frame 111d. This thermistor 114 is biased upward by a biasing member such as a coil spring. In other words, this thermistor 114 is in a state where it can extend and retract along the vertical direction. This thermistor 114 is supported by a roughly disc-shaped cover member. This cover member is fixed to the bottom wall of the inner pot housing Da of the protective frame 111d.
[0035] (7) Blower fan As described above, the blower fan 115 is positioned directly above the intake port Ab1 on the bottom wall Ab of the housing 111, with its rotation axis aligned approximately vertically (see Figure 2). That is, when the blower fan 115 is driven, outside air is drawn in through the intake port Ab1 and flows into the housing, where it is then blown upwards. The outside air blown upwards passes through the heat sink 116 and is supplied to the control board 118 and microcontroller board 119, etc., to cool these components.
[0036] (8) Heatsink The heatsink 116 is a component that efficiently exchanges heat with the outside air.
[0037] (9) Control panel The control panel 117 is used to determine and execute the operation method of the rice cooker 100, and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, it mainly consists of the panel body 117a and the push button BT, etc. As described above, the control panel 117 is located on the upper side of the front part of the shoulder member 111c.
[0038] (10) Control board The control board 118 is a circuit board that constitutes the power supply circuit and has several heat-generating components mounted on it. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the control board 118 is housed in the front space of the housing 111 and is supported by the control board support member 111f.
[0039] (11) Microcontroller board The microcontroller board 119 has electronic components such as a microcomputer mounted on it. As shown in Figure 2, the microcontroller board 119 is located inside the shoulder member 111c and below the operation panel 117, and is supported by the microcontroller board support member 111e. The microcomputer on the microcontroller board 119 determines whether or not the inner pot 130 is present in the rice cooker 100 by detecting the change in the inductance of the induction heating coil 113 caused by the presence of the inner pot 130 inside the rice cooker 100.
[0040] (12) Automatic retractable power cord unit The automatic retractable power cord unit 120 consists of a power cord PC (see Figure 1) and an automatic winding mechanism (not shown), and is housed in the rear space of the housing 111 as shown in Figure 2. The power cord PC consists of a plug and an electrical wire (see Figure 1). The plug is located at the end of the electrical wire. The electrical wire is wound around the automatic winding mechanism so as to be extendable.
[0041] (13)Locked part The locking portion is attached to the upper surface of the front part of the shoulder member 111c (the insertion opening for the inner pot 130). When the lid 140 is closed, the locking portion 146e of the locking member 146 of the lid 140 is locked to this locking portion.
[0042] 2. Inner pot As shown in Figure 2, the inner pot 130 is a bowl-shaped pot that opens upward and is inserted through the opening of the shoulder member 111c and the opening of the flange portion Db of the protective frame 111d, and is housed in the inner pot housing portion Da of the protective frame 111d with a predetermined gap. The inner pot 130 is a multilayer (clad material) of various aluminum alloys and stainless steel alloys and can be induction heated by the induction heating coil 113.
[0043] 3. Lid As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lid 140 mainly consists of an outer casing 141, an operating mechanism 142, a pressure adjustment mechanism 143, a reinforcing member (not shown), an inner lid 145, a locking member 146, and a lever stopper 147, and is rotatably attached to the main body 110 via a hinge mechanism 150. These components will be described in detail below.
[0044] (1) Exterior As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the outer casing 141 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped member composed of an upper outer casing member 141a and a lower outer casing member 141b, and houses the operating mechanism 142, a part of the pressure adjustment mechanism 143 (for example, the operating lever receiving part 143a), reinforcing members, locking members 146 and lever stoppers 147, etc.
[0045] The upper exterior member 141a is a plate member with a substantially rectangular shape in plan view (see Figure 1) and is made of a general-purpose resin such as polypropylene (PP). As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the upper exterior member 141a covers the upper side of the lower exterior member 141b. Also, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, an opening is formed in the front of the upper exterior member 141a to expose the upper surface of the raised portion OL1 of the operating lever OL of the operating mechanism 142, and a steam vent BO is formed in the rear of the upper exterior member 141a to discharge steam generated in the inner pot 130 to the outside. Also, as shown in Figure 9, a shaft mounting portion SI is formed in the center of the lower surface of the upper exterior member 141a for attaching and fixing the shaft SF1 (described later). Also, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, a guide portion RP is formed at the front end of the lower surface of the upper exterior member 141a. As shown in Figure 10, the guide portion RP has a right guide portion RP1 and a left guide portion RP2. The right-side guide section RP1 has a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front (see Figure 10), and its lower surface slopes upward as it moves to the left. The left-side guide section RP2 also has a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front (see Figure 10), and its lower surface slopes upward as it moves to the right. As shown in Figure 10, a groove GR is formed between the right-side guide section RP1 and the left-side guide section RP2. The projection OL4 of the operating lever OL can move along this groove GR when the operating lever OL is rotated. The groove GR is formed by a series of grooves: one between the left surface of the right-side guide section RP1 and the right surface of the left-side guide section RP2, and another between the lower surface of the right-side guide section RP1 and the lower surface of the left-side guide section RP2. When the projection OL4 of the operating lever OL is fitted into the groove between the left surface of the right-side guide section RP1 and the right surface of the left-side guide section RP2, the operating lever OL is restricted from moving in the left-right direction (in other words, in the axial direction of the axis SF1).Furthermore, even if the operating lever OL moves in the left-right direction when the projection OL4 of the operating lever OL is not fitted into the groove between the left surface of the right-side guide RP1 and the right surface of the left-side guide RP2 (i.e., when the operating lever OL is being pressed to some extent), when the pressure on the operating lever OL is released and the operating lever OL rotates upward around the axis SF1 by the torsion spring TS, the projection OL4 of the operating lever OL is guided by inclination to fit into the groove between the left surface of the right-side guide RP1 and the right surface of the left-side guide RP2 while contacting the lower surface of the right-side guide RP1 or the lower surface of the left-side guide RP2. When the projection OL4 of the operating lever OL is fitted into the groove between the left surface of the right-side guide RP1 and the right surface of the left-side guide RP2, the operating lever OL can be said to be in the specified position in the axial direction of the axis SF1.
[0046] The lower exterior member 141b is a plate member with a roughly rectangular shape in plan view, and is made of a general-purpose resin such as polypropylene (PP). As shown in Figure 2, an inner lid 145 is detachably disposed on the lower surface of the lower exterior member 141b. A reinforcing member is attached to the upper surface of the lower exterior member 141b. Although not shown, an opening is formed in the front part of the lower exterior member 141b for passing the lower extension portion 146d and the locking portion 146e of the locking member 146.
[0047] (2) Operation mechanism The operating mechanism 142 is for opening and closing the lid 140, and as shown in Figures 3 to 9, it mainly consists of an operating lever OL, a support member SP, a coil spring CS, a shaft SF1, and a torsion spring TS. These components will be described in detail below.
[0048] (2-1) Operating lever The operating lever OL is made of ABS resin and is metal-plated. As shown in Figures 3 to 9, the operating lever OL is mainly made up of a raised portion OL1, a bottom wall portion OL2, a peripheral wall portion OL3, a projection portion OL4, a shaft mounting portion OL5, a spring holding portion OL6, an extended portion OL7, a claw portion OL8, and a rod portion OL9. The raised portion OL1 is raised higher than the bottom wall portion OL2, as shown in Figures 3 and 5 to 8, and has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view, as shown in Figure 4. The user presses the raised portion OL1 when trying to open the lid 140 from the closed position. Openings are formed on the left and right sides of the lower end of the front wall portion of the raised portion OL1 (see Figures 3 and 6). The bottom wall portion OL2 extends outward from the lower end of the raised portion OL1, as shown in Figures 3 to 8. Furthermore, the rear part of the bottom wall OL2 (the part located behind the raised part OL1) slopes downward as it extends forward, as shown in Figure 7, and the left and right parts of the bottom wall OL2 (the parts located on the left and right sides of the raised part OL1) also slope downward as they extend forward, as shown in Figure 8. In addition, the height of the left and right parts of the front part of the bottom wall OL2 (the part located in front of the raised part OL1) is slightly lower than the height of the central part of the front part of the bottom wall OL2, as shown in Figure 6. Openings are also formed on the left and right parts of the front part of the bottom wall OL2 (see Figures 4 and 6). As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 6, the opening in the raised part OL1 and the opening in the bottom wall OL2 connect to form the outlet OLa on the operating lever OL. Here, it can be said that the outlet OLa is formed on the front part of the operating lever OL (the part opposite to the axis SF1 side of the operating lever OL). Furthermore, any residue on the operating lever OL (for example, liquids such as water, food ingredients such as rice, etc.) passes through the discharge port OLa, then through the opening at the front of the lower outer casing member 141b of the outer casing body 141, and is finally discharged onto the upper surface of the shoulder member 111c. The peripheral wall portion OL3 extends upward from the outer end (excluding the rear end) of the bottom wall portion OL2, as shown in Figures 3 to 8. The projection portion OL4 extends forward from the center of the front surface of the peripheral wall portion OL3, as shown in Figures 3, 4, and 10, and as described above, it is movable along the groove GR of the guide portion RP of the upper outer casing member 141a when the operating lever OL is rotated.As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 7, the shaft mounting portion OL5 extends rearward from the rear end of the bottom wall portion OL2. As shown in Figures 3, 4, 7, and 8, the shaft SF1 is attached to the rear end of the shaft mounting portion OL5. Note that, as shown in Figures 3, 4, 7, and 8, when the shaft SF1 is attached to the rear end of the shaft mounting portion OL5, the rear end of the shaft mounting portion OL5 does not cover the entire circumference of the part of the shaft SF1 that is attached to the rear end of the shaft mounting portion OL5, but rather exposes the upper part of the shaft SF1. As shown in Figure 5, the spring retaining portion OL6 extends downward from the left and right sides of the upper wall portion of the raised portion OL1. Also, as shown in Figure 5, the inside of the coil spring CS passes through the spring retaining portion OL6. As shown in Figures 3, 5, and 8, the extension portion OL7 extends downward from the lower ends of the left and right walls of the raised portion OL1. As shown in Figure 5, the claw portion OL8 extends inward from the lower end of the extension portion OL7. The support member SP is fitted to the operating lever OL by positioning the claw portion OL8 inside the fitting portion SP3 of the support member SP (see Figures 5 and 8). As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the rod portion OL9 extends downward from the left-right center of the rear side of the spring holding portion OL6 on the upper surface of the raised portion OL1. The rod portion OL9 passes through the recess SPb of the support member SP (see Figure 7).
[0049] (2-2) Support members The support member SP is positioned between the operating lever OL and the locking member 146, and between the coil spring CS and the locking member 146. As shown in Figures 3, 5 to 8, it is mainly formed from a base portion SP1, a spring holding portion SP2, a fitting portion SP3, and a projection portion SP4. The base portion SP1 has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view (see Figure 3). As shown in Figures 3 and 5, recesses SPa are formed on the left and right sides of the base portion SP1, recessing downwards. Also, as shown in Figure 3, a recess SPb is formed in the center of the rear end of the base portion SP1, recessing forwards. As described above, the rod portion OL9 of the operating lever OL passes through this recess SPb. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the spring holding portion SP2 extends upward from the bottom surface of the recess SPa of the base portion SP1. As shown in Figure 5, the coil spring CS is positioned between the inner surface of the recess SPa of the base portion SP1 and the spring retaining portion SP2, with the spring retaining portion SP2 passing inside the coil spring CS. The fitting portion SP3 is formed on the outside of the left and right sides of the base portion SP1, as shown in Figures 3, 5, 6, and 8, and has a roughly inverted U-shape in side view, as shown in Figure 8. As described above, the claw portion OL8 of the operating lever OL is positioned inside the fitting portion SP3, thereby fitting the support member SP to the operating lever OL. Furthermore, the support member SP is movable vertically relative to the operating lever OL within a range from a state where the upper surface of the base part SP1 is facing the lower surface of the raised part OL1 of the operating lever OL at a certain distance apart (see Figure 5) (in other words, a state where the claw part OL8 of the operating lever OL is locked to the upper wall part SP3) to a state where the upper surface of the base part SP1 is facing the lower surface of the raised part OL1 of the operating lever OL in close proximity (see Figure 13). The projection SP4 is a pair of left and right parts that extend downward from the center of the lower surface of the base part SP1, as shown in Figures 5 to 7. The projection SP4 is facing the pressed part 146b of the locking member 146 in close proximity, and when the user presses the operating lever OL to open the lid 140 from the closed state, the projection SP4 will press the pressed part 146b of the locking member 146.
[0050] (2-3) Coil spring As shown in Figures 3 and 5, two coil springs CS are positioned between the operating lever OL and the support member SP. The spring retaining portion OL6 of the operating lever OL and the spring retaining portion SP2 of the support member SP pass inside the coil springs CS, so that the coil springs CS are held on the operating lever OL side. The biasing force of these coil springs CS will be described later.
[0051] (2-4) axis The shaft SF1 is attached to the rear end of the shaft mounting portion OL5 of the operating lever OL, and then fixed to the shaft mounting portion SI of the upper outer casing member 141a of the outer casing 141. This allows the operating lever OL to rotate around the shaft SF1, while restricting its movement in the forward and backward directions. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the shaft SF1 passes inside the coil portion of the torsion spring TS.
[0052] (2-5) Torsion spring As shown in Figure 3, the torsion spring TS is attached to the shaft SF1 with the shaft SF1 passing inside the coil portion. The torsion spring TS biases the operating lever OL in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the operating lever OL when it is pressed (counterclockwise around the shaft SF1 in the right side view as shown in Figures 12 and 13) (i.e., clockwise around the shaft SF1 in the right side view).
[0053] (3) Pressure adjustment mechanism The pressure adjustment mechanism 143 adjusts the internal pressure of the inner pot 130 to 1 atmosphere or more (for example, 1.03 to 1.3 atmospheres) when the lid 140 is closed and pressure cooking is in operation. The pressure adjustment mechanism 143 consists of a reciprocating actuator (not shown) and an operating lever receiver 143a (see Figures 12 and 13). The reciprocating actuator is, for example, an electromagnetic piston using a solenoid. The reciprocating actuator moves the operating lever receiver 143a forward when pressure cooking is in operation (see Figure 13), and moves the operating lever receiver 143a backward when pressure cooking is not in operation (see Figure 12). As shown in Figure 13, the operating lever receiver 143a moves forward during pressure cooking and is positioned directly below the rod portion OL9 of the operating lever OL.
[0054] (4) Reinforcement members The reinforcing member is intended to increase the rigidity of the lower exterior member 141b and is made of an engineering plastic such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS). The reinforcing member is a member that has a roughly rectangular frame shape and is attached to the lower exterior member 141b of the exterior body 141. A bearing hole for attaching the shaft SF2 (see Figures 2, 12, and 13) is formed at the front end of the reinforcing member. The shaft SF2 is inserted into the connecting hole, which is formed by the bearing hole and the bearing hole 146g of the locking member 146, thereby attaching the locking member 146 to the reinforcing member. Screw receiving holes are also formed in the portion of the reinforcing member behind the bearing hole.
[0055] (5) Inner lid The inner lid 145 is a component that covers the top of the inner pot 130 and seals the inner pot 130, as shown in Figure 2.
[0056] (6) Locking member As shown in Figure 11, the locking member 146 is mainly formed from an upper wall portion 146a, a pressed portion 146b, a front wall portion 146c, a lower extension portion 146d, a locking portion 146e, and a rear extension portion 146f. The upper wall portion 146a has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view (see Figure 11). As shown in Figure 11, the pressed portion 146b extends to the rear from the rear end of the central part of the upper wall portion 146a. As described above, when the locking member 146 is not rotating around the shaft SF2, the projection SP4 of the support member SP and the pressed portion 146b are in close proximity and facing each other. Also, the pressed portion 146b is located on the rear side of the shaft SF2 that is inserted into the bearing hole 146g (see Figures 11, 12, and 13). As shown in Figure 11, the front wall portion 146c extends downward from the lower end of the upper wall portion 146a. The lower extension portion 146d extends downward from the lower ends of the left and right sides of the front wall portion 146c. As shown in Figure 11, the locking portion 146e extends rearward from the lower end of the lower extension portion 146d. As described above, the locking portion 146e locks to the locking portion of the main body 110 when the lid 140 is closed. The rear extension portion 146f extends rearward from the left and right ends of the front wall portion 146c. As shown in Figure 11, a bearing hole 146g is formed in the rear extension portion 146f. As described above, the locking member 146 is attached to the reinforcing member when the shaft SF2 is inserted through the connecting hole formed by the bearing hole and bearing hole 146g of the reinforcing member. The locking member 146 is then rotatable around the shaft SF2. The locking member-side torsion spring (not shown) is attached to the shaft SF2 such that the shaft SF2 passes inside the coil portion of the locking member-side torsion spring. This locking member-side torsion spring biases the locking member 146 in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the locking member 146 when the pressed portion 146b is pressed during non-pressure rice cooking operation (clockwise direction around the shaft SF2 in the right side view as shown in Figure 12) (i.e., counterclockwise direction around the shaft SF2 in the right side view).
[0057] (7) Lever stopper The lever stopper 147 is positioned between the operating lever OL and the reinforcing member. As shown in Figure 14, the lever stopper 147 is mainly formed from a lower wall portion 147a, left and right side walls 147b, a rear wall portion 147c, a screw receiving portion 147d, and a lever receiving portion 147e. The lower wall portion 147a constitutes the lower wall of the lever stopper 147. As shown in Figure 14, the left and right side walls 147b extend upward from the left and right ends of the lower wall portion 147a. Bearing holes 147f are formed in these left and right side walls 147b. As shown in Figure 14, the rear wall portion 147c extends upward from the rear end of the lower wall portion 147a. As shown in Figure 14, the screw receiving portion 147d extends outward from the upper front end of the left and right side walls 147b. A screw receiving hole 147g is formed in the screw receiving portion 147d. The lever stopper 147 is attached to the upper side of the reinforcing member when the shaft SF2 is inserted into the connecting hole, which is formed by the shaft receiving hole 147f and the shaft receiving hole of the reinforcing member, and when a screw (not shown) is screwed into the connecting hole, which is formed by the screw receiving hole 147g and the screw receiving hole of the reinforcing member. As shown in Figure 14, the lever receiving portion 147e extends upward from the left and right sides of the front end of the lower wall portion 147a. When the raised portion OL1 of the operating lever OL is continuously pressed downward, the extended portion OL7 of the operating lever OL will eventually come into contact with the lever receiving portion 147e, and this is the limit position of rotation of the operating lever OL due to the pressure.
[0058] 4. Hinge mechanism As described above, the hinge mechanism 150 attaches the lid 140 to the main body 110 so that the lid 140 can rotate relative to the main body 110, and consists of a fastening plate (not shown), a pivot shaft 151 (see Figure 2), a hinge mechanism-side torsion spring (not shown), and a damper (not shown). The fastening plate is a component for attaching the hinge mechanism 150 to the flange portion Db of the protective frame 111d of the main body 110. The fastening plate has a bearing hole through which the pivot shaft 151 is inserted. The pivot shaft 151 is for rotating the lid 140 around its axis. The hinge mechanism-side torsion spring biases the lid 140 in the opening direction. The damper is attached to the pivot shaft 151 and is responsible for reducing the opening speed of the lid 140.
[0059] <Regarding the opening and closing operation of the lid of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention> This section describes the opening and closing operation of the lid 140 of the rice cooker 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, when the user wants to close the lid 140, the user does not need to operate the operating mechanism 142, but can simply push the lid 140 toward the main body 110. At this time, the locking portion 146e of the locking member 146 moves downward while contacting the inclined surface (not shown) formed on the locked portion of the main body 110. During this time, the locking member 146 rotates against the biasing force of the locking member-side torsion spring. When the locking portion 146e of the locking member 146 reaches the lower side of the locked portion of the main body 110, the locking portion 146e of the locking member 146 is locked to the locked portion of the main body 110 by the biasing force of the locking member-side torsion spring. In this way, the lid 140 is closed.
[0060] When the user opens the lid 140, they press the operating lever OL of the operating mechanism 142 downward (see Figure 12). When the operating lever OL is pressed, the coil spring CS and the support member SP are also pressed via the operating lever OL. The pressed portion 146b of the locking member 146 is then pressed by the projection SP4 of the support member SP, and an action is taken to release the locking portion 146e of the locking member 146 from being locked to the locked portion of the main body 110. The biasing force of the coil spring CS is designed to be stronger than the locking force of the locking portion 146e of the locking member 146 against the locked portion of the main body 110 when the lid 140 is closed and pressure cooking is not in operation, and weaker than the locking force of the locking portion 146e of the locking member 146 against the locked portion of the main body 110 when pressure cooking is in operation. This is because, during pressure cooking operation, a force acts to push the lid 140 outward (upward), pressing the locking portion 146e of the locking member 146 against the locked portion of the main body 110, while the biasing force of the coil spring CS itself remains unchanged. When the operating lever OL is pressed when pressure cooking operation is not in progress, the pressed portion 146b of the locking member 146 continues to be pressed while the coil spring CS remains uncompressed or slightly compressed, and eventually the locking portion 146e of the locking member 146 is released from its locking to the locked portion of the main body 110 (see Figure 12). Then, the biasing force of the torsion spring on the hinge mechanism side of the hinge mechanism 150 lifts the lid 140 upward, and the lid 140 opens. It should be noted that, during pressure cooking operation, the lid 140 being open is undesirable from a safety standpoint. Therefore, when the rice cooker is in pressure cooking mode, when the operating lever OL is pressed, the coil spring CS is compressed, and finally, before the coil spring CS reaches its compression limit, the extended portion OL7 of the operating lever OL comes into contact with the lever receiving portion 147e of the lever stopper 147, causing the operating lever OL to reach its rotation limit position due to the pressure, and maintaining the state in which the locking portion 146e of the locking member 146 is locked to the locked portion of the main body 110 (see Figure 13). In this way, when the rice cooker is in pressure cooking mode, the user is unable to open the lid 140.
[0061] <Features of the rice cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention> (1) In the rice cooker 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, a support member SP is positioned between the operating lever OL and the locking member 146, and a coil spring CS is positioned between the operating lever OL and the support member SP. The spring holding portion OL6 of the operating lever OL and the spring holding portion SP2 of the support member SP pass inside the coil spring CS, so that the coil spring CS is held on the operating lever OL side. Therefore, in this rice cooker 100, the strength of the locking member 146 can be improved as much as possible compared to a case where the mounting hole for the holding member that holds the coil spring CS is formed in the locking member and the coil spring CS is held on the locking member side. Consequently, in this rice cooker 100, deformation of the locking member 146 during pressure cooking operation can be prevented as much as possible, and the risk of malfunction in opening and closing the lid 140 can be reduced as much as possible.
[0062] (2) In the rice cooker 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the operating lever OL is pressed, the projection SP4 of the support member SP presses the pressed portion 146b of the locking member 146. Therefore, in this rice cooker 100, the pressed portion 146b of the locking member 146 can be pressed more stably than in the case where the support member SP is not configured.
[0063] (3) In the rice cooker 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the support member SP is fitted to the operating lever OL so as to be movable in the vertical direction. Therefore, in this rice cooker 100, the coil spring CS can be allowed to be in a compressed or uncompressed state, and the coil spring CS can be held more stably on the operating lever OL side.
[0064] (4) In the rice cooker 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, a guide portion RP is formed on the upper outer casing member 141a of the outer casing 141, and a groove GR is formed between the right guide portion RP1 and the left guide portion RP2 of the guide portion RP. Furthermore, the projection OL4 of the operating lever OL is movable along the groove GR of the guide portion RP. Therefore, in this rice cooker 100, the position of the operating lever OL can be kept as constant as possible between the state before the operating lever OL is pressed and rotated, and the state after the operating lever OL has rotated due to the press and then rotated in the biasing direction of the torsion spring TS due to the release of the press.
[0065] (5) In the rice cooker 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, an outlet OLa is formed on the front side of the operating lever OL. Therefore, in this rice cooker 100, it is possible to minimize the amount of residue remaining on the operating lever OL.
[0066] <Variation> (A) In the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, a support member SP was positioned between the coil spring CS and the locking member 146. When the raised portion OL1 of the operating lever OL was pressed, the projection SP4 of the locking member 146 pressed against the pressed portion 146b of the locking member 146. However, the support member SP does not have to be included. In this case, the pressed portion 146b of the locking member 146 and the coil spring CS should be positioned close to each other, and when the raised portion OL1 of the operating lever OL is pressed, the coil spring CS should press against the pressed portion 146b of the locking member 146. Furthermore, the operating lever OL should be designed so that it can hold the coil spring CS by itself.
[0067] (B) In the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, the operating lever OL was made of ABS resin. However, the operating lever OL may be made of a resin other than ABS resin, or of metal, etc. Also, in the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, the operating lever OL was metal-plated. However, the operating lever OL does not have to be metal-plated. Also, in the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, a spring retaining part SP2 was formed on the support member SP. However, the spring retaining part SP2 does not have to be formed.
[0068] (C) In the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, the claw portion OL8 of the operating lever OL was positioned inside the fitting portion SP3 of the support member SP, thereby fitting the support member SP to the operating lever OL. However, the support member SP does not need to be fitted to the operating lever OL as long as it is movable in the vertical direction relative to the operating lever OL.
[0069] (D) In the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, a guide portion RP was formed on the upper exterior member 141a of the outer casing 141. However, the guide portion RP does not need to be formed. Also, in the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, within the rotatable range of the operating lever OL, there were times when the projection OL4 of the operating lever OL was not fitted into the groove between the left surface of the right guide portion RP1 and the right surface of the left guide portion RP2 of the guide portion RP. However, the guide portion RP may be designed so that within the rotatable range of the operating lever OL, the projection OL4 of the operating lever OL is always fitted into the groove between the left surface of the right guide portion RP1 and the right surface of the left guide portion RP2 of the guide portion RP. Also, in the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, a projection OL4 was formed on the operating lever OL, and a groove GR was formed on the upper exterior member 141a of the outer casing 141. However, the position of the shaft SF1 of the operating lever OL in the axial direction may be defined such that a groove is formed on the operating lever OL instead of a projection OL4, and a projection is formed on the upper outer member 141a of the outer casing 141 instead of a groove GR, and the projection of the upper outer member 141a fits into the groove of the operating lever OL.
[0070] (E) In the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, an outlet OLa was formed on the front side of the operating lever OL (the side opposite to the shaft SF1 of the operating lever OL). However, the outlet OLa does not have to be formed. Also, the outlet OLa may be formed on a part other than the front side of the operating lever OL (for example, on the left or right side of the operating lever OL).
[0071] (F) In the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, two coil springs CS were arranged between the operating lever OL and the support member SP. However, one coil spring CS may be arranged between the operating lever OL and the support member SP, or three or more may be arranged.
[0072] (G) Although not mentioned in the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, projections extending outward from the left and right sides of the peripheral wall portion OL3 of the operating lever OL may be formed. In addition, guide portions with grooves formed on the left and right sides of the lower surface of the upper outer member 141a of the outer casing 141 may be formed. Furthermore, in addition to restricting the movement of the operating lever OL in the front-rear direction by fixing the shaft SF1 to the upper outer member 141a of the outer casing 141, the movement of the operating lever OL in the front-rear direction may also be restricted by the movement of these projections along these grooves when the operating lever OL rotates around the shaft SF1.
[0073] (H) In the above embodiment, the present invention was applied to a rice cooker 100, but the present invention may also be applied to other pressure cookers.
[0074] The above variations (A) to (H) may be applied individually or in combination. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0075] 100: Rice cooker (pressure cooker) 110: Main unit 140: Lid 143: Pressure adjustment mechanism (pressure adjustment section) 146:Locking member 146b: Pressed part 146e: Locking part CS: Coil spring (biasing member) OL: Operating lever OLa: Outlet (opening) RP: Information Department SF1: Axis SP: Support member SP2: Spring retaining part (biasing member retaining part)
Claims
1. A main body having a locking portion, A lid that covers the aforementioned main body in an openable and closable manner, A pressure adjustment unit that can adjust the pressure inside the main body when the lid is closed, An operating lever that rotates around an axis attached to the lid, A locking member disposed on the lid has a locking portion that can be locked to the locking portion and a pressing portion, The system comprises a biasing member positioned between the operating lever and the pressed portion, The biasing member is held on the operating lever side, An opening is formed on the part of the operating lever opposite to the shaft side, When the cover is closed and the pressure adjustment unit is not adjusting the pressure inside the main body, pressing the operating lever releases the locking portion from being locked to the locked portion. Even when the operating lever is pressed while the pressure adjustment unit is adjusting the pressure inside the main body to be higher than atmospheric pressure, the locking part remains locked to the locked part. Pressure cooker.
2. The system further comprises a support member positioned between the biasing member and the locking member, The biasing member presses the pressed portion via the support member when the operating lever is pressed. The pressure cooker according to claim 1.
3. The aforementioned operating lever is made of resin, The support member has a biasing member holding portion for holding the biasing member. The pressure cooker according to claim 2.
4. The support member is movably fitted to the operating lever. A pressure cooker according to claim 2 or 3.
5. The cover has a guide portion that guides the operating lever. A pressure cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 3.